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A glimpse into the tactical operations center (TOC) during
Exercise Swift Response 17, Phase 2 (SR 17-2) reveals an incredibly
hectic working environment, akin to the nature of a beehive, with
all the worker bees buzzing around in a kind of tumultuous harmony;
all with the common goal of bolstering the community under the
queen's guidance. The worker bees, or Soldiers, are each allotted
unique tasks and purposes, to which they execute to their utmost
abilities.
The broad purpose of the 173rd Airborne Brigade's
mission during training exercise SR 17-2 is to perform a
joint-forcible entry with the Airborne Combined Joint Expeditionary
Force (A-CJEF) into a hostile airfield, rid the surrounding
communities of enemy forces and establish a defensive posture while
ensuring safety for civilians affected by the illegal incursion of
the invading force.
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October 10, 2017 - U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 173rd
Airborne Brigade plan during exercise Swift Response 17 in Hohenfels,
Germany. Swift Response is an annual U.S. Army Europe led exercise
focused on allied airborne forces’ ability to quickly and
effectively respond to crisis situations as an interoperable
multi-national team. (U.S. Army photo by SSgt. Alexander Henninger)
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173rd Airborne Brigade efforts to plan this mission commenced far
in advance of the actual mission. Months before units deployed to
Germany, the planning committee started writing concept of
operations reports, fleshing out manning concerns, war-gaming the
"what-ifs" of every conceivable scenario possible.
"Initial
planning for this exercise began back in July during the Joint
Commander's Academic Program (JCAP)," said Maj. Quyen N. Dang, the
173rd Airborne Brigade future operations officer. "It started with
our two brigades, Airborne Combined Joint Expeditionary Force
(A-CJEF) and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. We discussed what
capabilities we have and what capabilities they have, so we can
tackle the problem of winning the battle."
In the TOC, they
work in a frenzied manner as circumstances inevitably morph into
something other than the primary plan. However, they performed their
duties correctly so what would be an untamed beast of uncontrollable
variables to the unprepared unit, is swiftly mitigated and resolved
by the sage expertise of the planning committee.
"When
planning, we talk about enemy capabilities; the most likely and most
dangerous courses of action, so we are always prepared for
anything," said Dang. "Intelligence assets provide a big piece of
that. They provide mission analysis, which is the first step to the
Military Decision Making Process; that's crucial."
Ensuring
there are smooth communication lines between the future operations
personnel and the current operations personnel can be very difficult
due to the rapid nature of a full-scale operation. To reduce the
complexity, these personnel wear both hats.
"There is a
bleed-over for our staff," said Dang. "The Soldiers who are in there
planning will usually be on the floor for current operations. You
want to get as many people into the plans as possible so when
execution happens, everyone is on the same page."
"Attention
in the TOC!" is ordered by the battle captain upon receipt of the
latest situation reports. The command is audibly followed by the
report which is constantly being updated by various factions
carrying out their tasks outside the lines of safety. Like an
umbilical cord connected from the mother to the child, the leaders
in the TOC are one with their respective assets on the ground, via
the reports read off by the battle captain and Liaison Officers.
The intelligence commander coordinates with his subordinates,
the supply commander ensures sound logistical decisions are made by
the extensions of himself, the brigade commander oversees all his
units.
Adding to the moving parts, is the giant
interoperability piece between the United States Army and A-CJEF,
made up of British and French Paratroopers, as well as liaison
officers from Spain, Italy and the Netherlands contributing to the
decision making. This addition to the controlled chaos already seen
in internal missions confounds matters exponentially.
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October 9, 2017 - Sgt. First Class Enrique Luevano, Sgt. David
Ramirez and SPC Chris Crawford from U.S. Army Brigade Support
Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade prepare for Exercise Swift
Response 17, Phase 2 (SR 17-2) ... an annual U.S. Army Europe-led
exercise focused unallied airborne forces' ability to quickly and
effectively respond to crisis situations as an interoperable
multi-national team. The exercise takes place at the JMRC in
Hohenfels, Germany. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David Vermilyea)
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"Inevitably, you deal with the complexities of different
national caveats," said British A-CJEF Tactical Command Post
Operations Officer, Cpt. Hugo C. Cartwright of the British
Army, 16th Air Assault Brigade. "To get on the Dutch
helicopters, you have to do their training."
It's
what the exercise was designed to do ... force
challenges during peace to amplify the strength of a combat
team in the case of emergency, by integrating different
combat techniques, procedures and assets to create an
elusively formidable leviathan of a fighting force.
"I'm a great believer that the Army is about people, and in
fact, the world is about people," said Cartwright. "The best
way to overcome these challenges is to get to know people,
understand the systems and not let the processes beat you."
Cartwright's philosophy on how to overcome
differences and build international unity perfectly aligns
with the 173rd's mission statement, which is yet another
example of the unshakable magnitude that drives NATO's
Alliance and partnerships:
"The 173rd Airborne
Brigade (Sky Soldiers) is the U.S. Army's Contingency
Response Force in Europe, providing rapid forces to the
United States European, Africa and Central Commands areas of
responsibilities. Forward-based in Italy and Germany, the
Brigade routinely trains alongside NATO Allies and partners
to build interoperability and strengthen the Alliance."
Exercise SR 17-2 is comprised of more than 6,000 participants
from Bosnia-Herzegovina, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania,
Netherlands, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United
States. It is an annual, U.S. Army Europe-led exercise focused on
allied airborne forces' ability to quickly and effectively respond
to crisis situations as an interoperable multi-national team.
By U.S. Army Sgt. David Vermilyea
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2017
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